Past Simple Basics

Teacher Overview

Past Simple Basics – Yesterday

Level: Basic (very beginners with little or no English) 

Target Language:

  • Regular past simple verbs (-ed): played, walked, watched, cooked, talked, liked, jumped, danced, cleaned, listened
    • Simple sentences with “Yesterday”
    • Time expression: yesterday 

Skills Focus: Listening, repeating, pointing, simple sentence building, visual recognition of past actions. 

Lesson Aims:

Introduce the idea of talking about the past in a very gentle way. Students learn 10 regular -ed verbs and can say simple sentences such as “Yesterday I played football” and “Yesterday she watched TV” using pictures and lots of repetition. 

What’s Included (PDF Activities – 5 files):

  • PDF 1: Warm-up & Guidelines (For the teacher – 10–15 min): Step-by-step guide with gestures, pointing game, and simple instructions.
    • PDF 2: Flashcards Only (For students – print/cut or show digitally): Cute pictures on front + full sentence on back.
    • PDF 3: Practice & Games (For students – 15–20 min): Match, Circle, Write, Memory Game, and Word Bingo (text only).
    • PDF 4: Production / Speaking (For students – 10–15 min): Chain drill, pair speaking, mingle, and “My Yesterday” sharing.
    • PDF 5: Homework & Review (For students – 10 min): Color & write sentences, draw what you did yesterday, and family practice note. 

Why Teachers Love It:

Ultra-simple and picture-heavy. Only regular -ed verbs and affirmative sentences. No irregular verbs, no negatives, no questions. Low prep and high repetition help true beginners feel successful quickly. Teacher notes and tips included throughout. 

Best For: True A1 beginners who already know basic present simple and common verbs. A gentle first step into talking about the past.

Duration: 45–60 minutes (easily shortened by using fewer activities).






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